Establishing a model for evidence based collection management

Koufogiannakis, Denise Establishing a model for evidence based collection management., 2007 . In 4th International Evidence Based Library & Information Practice Conference, Durham, North Carolina, May 6-11, 2007. (Unpublished) [Conference paper]

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English abstract

Establishing a model for evidence based collection management Question: How can collection managers and selectors structure their practice so that collection decisions are more evidence based? Can a model be established to provide a framework for decision making in a large academic institution? What questions need to be answered and what sources of information are most appropriate? Where does one begin to find useful information and how can it make a difference in day-to-day work? Setting: The model for collection management decision making was developed for the University of Alberta Libraries (UAL), a large academic library system in Edmonton, Canada. The general model can be applied to other libraries regardless of type. Examples from UAL serve to illustrate practical use of the model and how it can be implemented in practice. Method: A complete review of collection management decision making was undertaken. An examination determined what types of collections questions selectors ask on a regular basis, what things librarians should consider when making acquisition decisions, and the possible sources of evidence to aid selectors. Feedback from staff was incorporated, and the model allied with institutional directions, focusing on a user-centered approach. Main results: In the past, collection management was done purely by librarian expertise and feedback from faculty, with the occasional use of data as it became available, but without a concerted effort to systematically review data and base collections decisions on what that data was telling us. There are overarching questions to which a traditional EBL model may be used to provide insight and answers, while at the same time there are day-to-day decisions which rely on local data and placing that data in the hands of selectors in a timely way and in a useable format. There are also innovative collection projects for which assessment can become a built-in mechanism for future evaluation. All these areas will be reviewed and connected to appropriate sources of data for decision making. Conclusion: This presentation will map out a concrete model that can be used by any library to complement their collections-based decision making. It is grounded in the examples of progress within one academic library. These are preliminary steps in a new way of thinking about collections decision making and how to easily implement data into our day-to-day work. This session will prove valuable for any collection manager wanting to implement concrete change in order to make more effective and user-based decisions.

Item type:	Conference paper
Keywords:	evidence based practice; collection management
Subjects:	F. Management.
Depositing user:	Denise Koufogiannakis
Date deposited:	17 Aug 2007
Last modified:	02 Oct 2014 12:08
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/10760/10089

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